1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tape cassette for use with a video tape recorder or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, tape cassettes have been provided with closable lids for protecting magnetic tapes from dust or like material.
In a known tape cassette 1 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a rectangular upper half 2 and lower half 3 constitute a cassette housing accommodating tape reels around which a magnetic tape (hereinafter referred to as a tape) is wound.
The upper half 2 and lower half 3 of the cassette housing have recessed front walls 5 and 6 formed to define a front recess or opening 8 at the front of the cassette 1 substantially over the entire width of the cassette.
A pair of tape guides 10 and 11 project forwardly at respective end portions of the recessed walls 5 and 6 and define respective end surfaces 8A and 8B of the recess or opening 8. A tape which is drawn out from the tape reels is guided by the tape guides 10 and 11 in a run 13 which extends across the front opening or recess 8.
A front closure 14 is vertically pivotable about pivots formed at opposite sides of the cassette housing adjacent the front of the latter. With this structure, the tape run 13 is exposed when the front closure 14 turned upwardly (FIG. 2) in the course of loading the cassette 1 in a video tape recorder, and on the other hand the tape 13 is covered at the front thereof when the front closure 14 is maintained in a closed or downwardly turned state (FIG. 1) after the tape cassette is ejected from the video tape recorder.
As shown in FIG. 3, the front closure 14 is generally formed to have an asymmetrical inverted U-shaped cross-section for integrally forming a relatively deep outer portion 15 joined at the top, as at 16, to a relatively shallow depending inner portion 17. A rear closure 18 is pivotally supported by pins formed at opposite ends of the lower end of the inner portion 17 of the front closure 14.
The rear closure 18 is integrally formed with an upper closure 20 and extends downwardly and forwardly therefrom so that, in the closed positions of the closures 14, 18 and 20 (FIG. 3), the rear closure 18 surrounds the tape run 13 in cooperation with the front closure 14.
Thus, the rear closure 18 and the front closure 14 define a tape chamber 22, in which the tape run 13 which extends along the front opening 8 is protected from dust or the like when the tape cassette 1 is stored or not in use.
On the other hand, the upper closure 20 is formed so that, in the closed positions of the closures, a flange 20a at the top of upper closure 20 is flush with the upper surface of the tape cassette 1 to cover a gap formed between the upper half 2 and the front closure 14.
Furthermore, the rear closure 18 is pivotable under the guidance of guide grooves (not shown) formed in the end surfaces 8A and 8B of the front opening 8 so that, when the front closure 14 is pivoted upwardly in response to loading of the tape cassette 1 in a video tape recorder, the tape run 13 which extends through the front opening 8 is exposed for loading about a head drum (not shown).
Thus, the tape run 13 is exposed for loading or is protected from dust or the like simply by turning the front closure 14 according to the need.
To load the tape about a head drum with this kind of the tape cassette 1, it is necessary to insert loading guides (not shown) from below into an area 24 (FIGS. 3 and 4, hereinafter referred to as a mouse area) defined by the rear closure 18, recessed front walls 5 and 6, and upper closure 20 while the front closure 14 is turned upwardly to its open position.
The conventional tape cassette 1 however has a drawback in that the mouse area 24 is narrow due to the diagonal extension of the rear closure 18.
This raises a problem in that, if the tape cassette slightly shifts when inserting the loading guides, there is the danger that the loading guides may be brought into contact with the rear closure 18.